Few would argue that when and where we were born has an
enormous effect on what we come to believe. Had we been
born on the other side of the world or born 100, 1000 or
even 10,000 years ago our beliefs would have certainly
been different. We might have actively participated in
burning Witches at the stake or personally thrown children
into the mouth of a volcano. What's more, we likely would
have felt it was morally right and been proud to
participate in such acts.

Like it or not, my logical mind forces me to acknowledge
that even my most cherished beliefs are more the result of
the culture I grew up in than any rational evaluation born
out of my own life experiences. I have learned to believe,
in large part, what my culture dictated I should believe.
No matter how strong my convictions towards a particular
set of religious beliefs, the truth is that those beliefs
primarily came from the influences of others.

With few exceptions, we have come to accept the teachings
of the religion we were born into. This is not surprising
when one considers most of us have only a superficial
knowledge of the teachings and beliefs of other religions.
As children, we were never presented with a list
containing all the beliefs of the world's religions. No
one ever asked us which religion we wanted to believe in
or which set of beliefs appeared to be based upon our
interpretation of truth. The question of what we should
believe was primarily the decision of our parents and
their parents before them.

When you step outside the veil of the particular religion
you were born into and look upon all the world's
religions, certain similarities become apparent. All
religions are specifically designed to address humanity's
instinctual fear of death. All religions are based upon a
primary premise that human existence is a test in
preparation for some form of life after death. All
religions have some form of earthly institution made up of
a hierarchy of individuals in various roles of power and
prestige. All religions provide some afterlife incentive
for the faithful to financially support the religious
institution or work to increase the religion's membership.
All religions possess one or more parental figure idols
the faithful can worship and prey to. All religions claim
their idol(s) was responsible for the creation of the
cosmos with humanity at its center. All religions possess
some form of religious document containing divine words of
the one true faith.

Over the past 40 years or so, I have had occasion to
attend the services of several religions far removed from
my own. Each time I was alone and felt very uncomfortable
surrounded by those whose beliefs were different from my
own. I could feel the unity and sense of family of those
around me but knew I was an outsider. I felt the need to
show respect and reverence towards the idol of their
beliefs though I found myself asking how intelligent
people could believe in such nonsense. Perhaps some of the
discomfort I felt was the realization my own beliefs were
no more valid than theirs.

As television and the Internet bring us closer together,
ideas that once flourished within cultural or geographic
vacuums, have now been thrust onto the same stage. As one
looks out upon all the world's religions, one has to ask
how so many different religions came to exist and why they
possess so many similarities? Should we believe all the
world's religions sprang from one true religion? One true
god or gods with one true set of beliefs? Or could it be
that all religions were born within the minds of humanity,
shaped by eons of the same human fears, needs and desires.

Science continues to challenge and change religious
scripture while human ignorance and superstition are
slowly replaced by the facts of who and what we are and
where we really came from. From my perspective, I have
seen nothing during my lifetime that can logically support
any belief in a supernatural being responsible for
humanity and the cosmos. Surely, if such an entity existed
there would be some kind of proof other than the echo of
the longings, fears and ignorant ramblings of those who
came before us. Surely, if any concrete evidence existed
to support gods, ghosts, demons, or any other kind of
supernatural being, we would have all seen it by now as
"Breaking News" on CNN. It would be the story of all news
stories.

Don't get me wrong. I have the same problem with my
impending death as the next guy. I want nothing more than
to uncover something, anything that can give me even a
glimmer of hope I can somehow escape death. I have know
faith and I have experienced the warmth and brotherhood of
sharing that faith with others. But after many years of
faith and hope I have decided it is more important to open
my eyes to the reality within and go through what's left
of my life knowing the truth.